Editor’s note: The Sandbox Virtual Reality Arcade permanently closed in November 2019. The Flint location is still in operation.Â
A new arcade in Westland is giving kids the chance to step outside traditional video gaming and into the games.
The Sandbox Virtual Reality Arcade opened its doors in March 2019 and offers virtual reality gaming complete with top-of-the-line VR headsets and a wide range of immersive experiences – from fighting zombies to climbing Mount Everest.
The arcade, which also has a location in Flint, was the brainchild of co-owner Jeremy Bigelow, who wanted to try virtual reality gaming with his teenage son but couldn’t find an arcade that offered it.
“When you’re in virtual reality, you’re immersed into it. You feel like you’re there,” he says. “It’s fun for everyone.”
So why should you try this “next-level” gaming experience?
Consider these three benefits:
- Off the couch: Despite being another form of screen time, VR gaming actually gets kids (and parents) active. “You actually move around in virtual reality the way we have it set up,” he says.
- Connections: Just as Bigelow used it to connect with his teenage son, other parents find virtual reality to be a fun outing everyone in the family can enjoy. “You’re appealing to the kid side – and the parent that wants to be a kid.”
- Novelty: “It’s new, it’s exciting,” Bigelow adds. “It’s entertaining for the whole family. We’ve had (guests) up to 89 years old in there.”
The Sandbox Virtual Reality Arcade is located at 35645 Warren Road in Westland. Regular hours are noon-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and Noon-7 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $29.95/hour.
For more information, call 734-858-7771 or visit them online.
